António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, called for a return to 'normal vaccine distribution' for COVID-19 vaccines to the poorest countries after a group of leading developing nations requested to release excess doses to expedite the fight against the pandemic.
Guterres noted that over 130 countries, comprising all the poorest nations in the world, have not received a single dose of a coronavirus vaccine. He also criticized the inaction of a few countries that have acquired a large share of vaccine supplies, which means others may not receive them in the coming years. Furthermore, he emphasized that everyone must have access to vaccines because an individual's safety depends on everyone's safety.
"COVID-19 will not be defeated anywhere until it is defeated everywhere," Guterres told reporters. "We risk if we do not act now. Wealthy nations must forgo their first doses of vaccines for their citizens in favor of poor countries until vaccination numbers reach two billion," he added.
Guterres also urged member countries of the Group of Twenty, the 20 most advanced countries in the world, to donate all their vaccine surplus to the Covax mechanism, which was developed to ensure more equitable distribution of vaccines worldwide.
